How can a blind or visually impaired person experience a solar eclipse? The total solar eclipse crossing Spain on 12 August 2026 offers a unique opportunity to promote inclusive astronomy education. Through the Eclipse Inclusivo project (ICE-CSIC), more than 100 LightSound sonification devices will be distributed across Spain, enabling visually impaired participants to experience the eclipse through sound. In collaboration with ONCE and other partners, the project develops educational workshops using tactile materials and sonification tools. Teacher training, solar telescope loans for schools, and a science contest further support learning. This presentation will share outcomes and lessons learned from using the eclipse as a platform for inclusive education and science engagement.

Biography:

Jorge Rivero González is the Head of the Communication & Outreach Office of the Institute of Space Sciences (Spain). He was the IAU 100th anniversary Celebrations (IAU100) Global Coordinator and was part of the global organisation of the UN International Year of Light 2015 and the UNESCO International Day of Light. From 2009, he has been a member of the outreach initiative GalileoMobile. He holds a PhD in Astrophysics from the Ludwig Maximilians University (Germany) and a postgraduate degree in Science Journalism and Communication from the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (Spain). His work for IAU100 received the 2020 Dutch Research Council (NWO) Communication Award for its reach and international impact in promoting astronomy.